1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for controlling an ionization device, particularly a method for controlling an ionization device for ionizing air for ventilating interior spaces, preferably the interior spaces of vehicles, the method in which the ionization device releases at least intermittently ions of a first ion type. Furthermore, the invention relates to an ionization device, particularly an ionization device for ionizing air for ventilating interior spaces, preferably the interior spaces of vehicles, the device which has at least one first ionizing component for the at least intermittent release of ions of a first ion type.
2. Description of the Background Art
To satisfy the comfort requirements of vehicle customers which have increased over the years in relation to the ventilation of motor vehicles, the functionality and complexity of vehicle HVAC systems has increased correspondingly.
Thus, in the meantime, HVAC systems have gained acceptance in all vehicle categories. The fresh air to be supplied to the vehicle interior can be heated with such vehicle HVAC systems. Today, however, a cooling function is also generally provided, with which the fresh air to be supplied to the vehicle interior can also be cooled.
Other functions, which are meanwhile realized increasingly for the ventilation of motor vehicles, are, for example, filters, which are used to purify the fresh air to be supplied to the vehicle interior and/or to remove undesirable odors (particularly odors in outside air).
Ionization devices have also been installed for some time in motor vehicle as part of the original equipment. The ionization devices, on the one hand, are intended to take care of refreshing the air, therefore to create the perception that there is “fresh air.” On the other hand, ionization devices are used to kill pathogenic agents (particularly bacteria and/or viruses), which may be present in the fresh air and/or recirculated air to be supplied to the vehicle interior. A combination of a positively charged electrode and a negatively charged electrode is generally used to kill pathogenic agents. HO2− is often used as the active ion in this case. To generate HO2−, H+ is generated with the aid of a positively charged electrode from water (H2O), which is present in the form of air moisture, and is then reduced to H at the negatively charged electrode. H then combines with O2− to form active HO2−.
To refresh air, in contrast, negatively charged (simple) high-voltage electrodes are generally used, which, for example, reduce oxygen molecules (O2) in the supplied air to negatively charged oxygen ions (O2).
So that the ionization devices can exert their effect, it is not only necessary that they generate these ions, but that the ions generated by the ionization devices also remain present for a rather long time period and advantageously are released in the interior space to be ventilated. This is a problem particularly in the motor vehicle field, where the conditioned air is guided over a rather large number of air guide elements, air vent grilles, and outlet nozzles, before the conditioned air is released into the vehicle interior. Tests have shown that an initially sufficiently high ion concentration can decline by more than a factor of 10 within a few minutes. This reduces the effectiveness of the air ionization and necessitates appropriate countermeasures.
It is proposed in JP 20063492989 A, for example, to provide a flexible air guide tube of an HVAC unit, which has an ionization device, with a continuous electrically conductive coating. The electrically conductive coating is grounded. In the proposed design, the intent is to prevent the ions flowing through the tube from being electrically neutralized and thereby lost.
A method is described in JP 2004-079471 A with which the loss of already generated anions in an air duct downstream from the ionization device is to be prevented. It is proposed to this end that the ionization device after continuous operation for a time period of 10 to 40 minutes be turned off for about 3 to 7 minutes.
Various organic polymer compositions, which are provided with a metallic coating, for use as air ducts in motor vehicles are proposed in WO 2009/045430 A1.
Although the already proposed measures are basically suitable for reducing the described problem of the loss of already generated ions, the previously proposed methods and devices continue to have highly different problems such as, for example, high cost, insufficient effectiveness, and excessive electrical neutralization of already generated ions.